Is it Love?
by tanpopo-fluff
Summary: Ino is truly stuck on Shikamaru, but the 'super-genius' is too oblivious to see what's in front of his face. Can she use Kiba's help to get Shikamaru's attention? (ShikaIno)


**Is it love?**

Author: tanpopo-fluff

Pairing: ShikaIno

Disclaimer: Still not owning Naruto or any of its characters

A/N: Hi everybody! In this story everybody is around seventeen and the teachers (like Iruka and Kakashi) are whatever age they normally are. This is one of my early fanfics so please be gentle and R & R. Thanks!

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**--Chapter One: The Flower Shop--**

Ino slumped onto the counter and sighed. It was he day to work at the flower shop but since it had been raining all day, the customers were next to nil. "Booooo." She said out loud. But damn, she was dying of boredom.

'Hmmm...' she thought to herself, while playing with a random tulip 'I wonder what everyone else is doing?'

Hinata was most likely with Naruto, her boyfriend. They became an official couple about a month ago. Although Naruto wasn't nearly the loud-mouthed troublemaker he used to be, he was still very energetic. Poor Hinata, she's got herself a handful with that one.

Sakura... was someone different now. She had long ago forgotten about Sasuke and was now in the early stages of dating Lee. They made quite the cute couple actually. Ino heard this from Hinata and had to keep it on the down-low, but apparently Neji (yes, _the_ Neji) might have some feelings for Sakura. Was there a love triangle on the horizon? Lucky Sakura, having two great guys fighting over her. The fact that the two guys were polar opposites merely added to the entertainment factor.

-sigh- 'I wish I had a boyfriend.' Why? Frankly, because being the fifth wheel just plain sucked. Although the guys were nice about it, their body language clearly shouted 'GO AWAY SO WE CAN MACK OUR GIRLFRIENDS!!' Plus, who would she possibly go out with anyways? Chouji and Shikamaru were her best guy friends in the whole world. Surely they would never feel that way about her.

Although Shikamaru... Ino once had a major, full-blown crush on him. She mooned and blushed whenever he was around. His reaction? None. Zip. Nada. It was utterly depressing. Obviously, Shika still hated girls. Ino sighed again.

"Jeez Ino. Why do you sigh so much? You know, they say every time you sigh you shrink a little. You shrinking on me?" Well, well speak of the devil. When'd he get here?!?!

"Nah, Shika. It's just the rain, is all. When'd you get here?" she subtly changed the subject, not wanting him to know that she was thinking about him.

"I dunno. A couple minutes ago maybe?" Shikamaru had walked in, clear as day but Ino had looked completely lost in thought. Her facial expressions kept changing, from amused to depressed to hurt. Just what had she been thinking about?

"Oh. So what brings you here on this dreary day? You come to keep me company?" Could it be? Shika actually coming to see her?

"Actually no. I came to pick up flowers for someone." He said that absent-mindedly and didn't notice when Ino's face fell. Instead, he was thinking about the horror on his father's face when he found out that Shikamaru had forgot all about his mother's birthday. You'd think it was the end of the world or something. So now here he was, at Ino's shop about to buy a dozen roses. For his _mom._ "Could I have a dozen roses in a variety of colours? They're for someone very special." Although his mother was bossy-and temperamental- he loved her dearly.

Ino was pretty sure she felt something inside her. Jealousy? But she didn't even _like_ Shikamaru that way. Or did she? Business was business. She would just have to sort out all of her messy emotions some other time. "Sure, I'll get right on it." She said, as her brows furrowed "But who are they for?"

Shikamaru noted her furrowed brow and thought-uncomfortably- that he would like to kiss it away. What was wrong with him? She was quite possibly the loudest, bossiest person he knew. Next to his mother of course. "Someone very near and dear to my heart. I believe you've met." Well, she _should_. She and Chouji had been over countless times and saw his parents all the time. Shikamaru also knew Ino very well, and knew that she was prying. "Why? You jealous?"

It was one thing for her to think it and another to have Shikamaru say it out loud. The green haze in front of her eyes turned red. She shoved the bouquet of roses into Shikamaru's hands. "Here, take your flowers. That'll be $12.99" (A/N: I have no idea how much roses cost ;) Her voice was icy cool. 'Hmph. See if I care!'

"Okay Ino, I'll see you later!" Painfully oblivious of the fact that she was angry, he walked out the door whistling, roses in hand.

Why wouldn't he just _look_ at her? See what was right in front of his freaking face? Maybe she should try to make him see the light.

Maybe with a little help.

--End Chapter One: The Flower Shop--

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A/N: So? What do you think? More chapters later, so R & R!


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